This is the final part of our 6-part series on persuasion and we’re talking about scarcity. Are you tired of pushing projects to get people excited about your cause? Well, this week’s persuasion principle will give you the ability to drive your donors to any budgetary need of your choice including your general operating budget!…Continue reading Episode 77 | Persuasion Part 6: How to Use Scarcity to Fund Your Operations Budget

This is part 5 of our 6-part series on persuasion. This fifth part focuses on authority. People defer to experts and to those in positions of authority. We all want to know “Who’s in charge?”.  Find out how you can be the leader others want to follow by becoming a subject matter expert. For more…Continue reading Episode 76 | Persuasion Part 5: How to Become the Leader Others Want to Follow

This is part 4 of our 6-part series on persuasion. This fourth part focuses on commitment and consistency. People want to be consistent. If they make a public commitment to give, there is a good chance they will follow through. Find out how you can use written and verbal commitments to increase donations and volunteer…Continue reading Episode 75 | Persuasion Part 4: Why Written and Verbal Commitments are a Must

This is part 3 of a 6-part series on persuasion. This third part focuses on social proof and how people will do what they see others doing. Find out how you can use peer pressure to increase donations and create model volunteers and donors for your cause.  For more information about Mary Valloni, visit http://maryvalloni.com…Continue reading Episode 74 | Persuasion Part 3: How to Use Peer Pressure for Good

This is part 2 of a 6 part series on persuasion. This second part focuses on reciprocity. Listen in to hear how your donors and your cause can receive mutual benefit from partnering together. For more information about Mary Valloni, visit http://maryvalloni.com and to join our fundraising community on Facebook, go to http://www.facebook.com/groups/fundraisingfreedomtribe/

This is part 1 of a 6 part series on persuasion. The first of the six focuses on our ability to be likable. Listen in to hear the 5 things we all need to do to attract more people to us so and to our cause. For more information about Mary Valloni, visit http://maryvalloni.com and…Continue reading Episode 72 | The 5 Things You Can Do to Get People to Like You

How long can you do one thing, and just one thing, before you get pulled away by something else of equal (but probably less) importance?  This is the world we’re living in today where distractions and information overload consume our day to day activities. It’s harder than ever to be successful, but it is possible. …Continue reading Episode 70 | The #1 Skill of Our Times

One of the most admired women of all time is Mother Teresa (Saint Teresa of Calcutta). Known for her charitable work she has inspired nonprofit leaders for decades. In this episode we talk about 6 of the life-lessons we can learn from Mother Teresa including:  1. We need each other. 2. You matter. 3. The…Continue reading Episode 69 | 6 Life-Lessons We Can Learn From Mother Teresa

It’s easy to slip into trying to sell your cause to a potential donor if every dollar matters. If you are desperate for donations you’ll do whatever it takes to bring in the dollars including selling without serving. What if you “served” your potential donor and come without wanting anything in return? On today’s episode,…Continue reading Episode 68 | How to Serve and Not Sell

Most nonprofit organizations start because of a great need, but nearly 50% can’t keep up with the demand.  On today’s episode we talk about the challenges of our nonprofits and the three primary killers of our nonprofits today: 1. Leadership can’t get out of the way. 2. Crazy growth too fast without a foundation 3.…Continue reading Episode 67 | The Top 3 Nonprofit Killers

Authenticity is one of the primary concerns for nonprofit leaders, but all you have to do is be you. No one expects you to be anything else. Remember social media is just a tool in your tool belt. It is one of many ways to engage with prospective donors and volunteers. When using social media,…Continue reading Episode 66 | 3 Ways to Effectively Use Social Media to Promote Your Cause

There is no doubt that we all need to surround ourselves with people who “get” us and that starts with these four people.  1. Coach – a person who supports a learner in achieving a specific personal or professional goal by providing training and guidance. 2. Mentor – an experienced and trusted advisor, a more…Continue reading Episode 65 | The 4 People You Need in Your Life

Often times we spend our time focused on the dollars we want to bring in for our cause, but we don’t spend time figuring out what it will actually take to fulfill our mission. If freedom is what you desire, you want to spend as much time as possible actually enjoying the work you do. …Continue reading Episode 64 | How Much Money Is Enough to Fulfill Your Mission

“To achieve something you have never achieved before you must become someone you have never been.” – Les Brown We’re all faced with trying to figure out what we need to do to become more effective at what we do. Many times we protect ourselves with habits and routines that are comfortable, but I want…Continue reading Episode 63 | Who Do You Need to Become to Be the Leader You Want to Be

Change is hard. If it were easy we’d all be walking around with fully funded retirement accounts and six-pack abs. Because we know it’s hard, we just need to know what obstacles to overcome so we can tackle each of them one at a time. In this episode, we talk through how your past, your…Continue reading Episode 62 | How to Overcome the 4 Obstacles to Change

When did we decide that our nonprofits deserved less and that we needed handouts from the community? It’s time to change the way we think so we can actually fulfill our mission. On today’s episode we talk through how to get an abundance mindset by eliminating three statements from your thoughts. Do you believe there…Continue reading Episode 61 | How to End the Lack and Scarcity Mindset

Is it possible to have the same excitement knocking on door #1 as door #101 when people say no after no after no? The answer is YES and it’s possible to enjoy the rejection along the way. We know we don’t need everyone to say yes, but regardless it’s hard to hear no. On today’s…Continue reading Episode 60 | How to Enjoy Rejection

There’s usually two reasons why it feels like someone is dodging you, either 1.) they are or 2.) it’s all in your head. If you find yourself following up with potential donors over and over again, you may need to rethink your approach or you may need to avoid being too hard on yourself by…Continue reading Episode 59 | Why it Feels Like People are Dodging You

No one wants so sit through a painful fundraising pitch, so why would we ask our potential donors to say yes to that? Instead, let’s ask them for their valuable advice and then do what they say. After all, they are our potential donors. Many of them will tell you exactly what to do and…Continue reading Episode 58 | The Key to Getting More Face-to-Face Meetings

The Winter Olympics are in full swing in Pyeongchang, South Korea bringing together the best athletes from around the world. As the media interviews these athletes, we continue to see patterns of how each of them made it to the big stage and how each of us can learn from them. Here are the 8…Continue reading Episode 57 | 8 Things Every Nonprofit Leader Can Learn From the 2018 Olympic Athletes

Many of us forget that our nonprofit is ineffective if our leaders are overworked, exhausted and burnt out. Your cause is only as good as your leadership, so this episode focuses on how to protect your most valuable asset – You!  For more information about Mary Valloni Consulting, visit http://maryvalloni.com and join us on Facebook…Continue reading Episode 56 | How to Avoid Burnout and Take Back Control of Your Life

As you seek to raise more funds for your cause, the most important piece to the puzzle is having enough donors to fulfill every need that comes up. This means we need to ensure we can attract more donors to our cause. On this episode we talk through the 5 things you can do to…Continue reading Episode 55 | 5 Things You Can Do To Attract More Donors

It is 2018 and we are seeing less and less print mail in our mailbox these days, but does that mean that our nonprofits should stop sending out mailings as well? The answer is NO. Mass mailings absolutely still work, but why? Find out how you can make them work for you and how you…Continue reading Episode 54 | Do Mass Mailings Still Work?

Nonprofit and ministry leaders often jump into fundraising events before doing this one thing and that’s attending other events. How do you know how to put on a great fundraising event if you’ve never attended another event? Mary shares why it’s so important to attend events that are similar to the one you want to…Continue reading Episode 52 | The #1 Thing You Should Do Before Hosting a Fundraising Event

Who is your ideal donor? What do they do and why would they like you? We address these questions and more in this episode. Do you find that you are running out of prospects? Identify how to create a plan and how to promote the work you do where your donors are and not where…Continue reading Episode 51 | How to Identify and Secure Your Ideal Donor

It’s a new year and with the new year, you may need a new attitude to match! Today’s episode is about how to free yourself from the negativity, how to be a giver, and how to do more of what works. We are in more control of our success than we think we are and…Continue reading Episode 50 | How to Start the New Year with a New Attitude

hristmas movies of all time is Elf, featuring Will Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel. Check out this episode for the top 5 happiness quotes from the movie and how they relate to nonprofit leaders today. For more information about Mary Valloni Consulting, visit http://maryvalloni.com and join us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/groups/fundraisingfreedomtribe/

With only a few weeks left in the calendar year, I wanted to share with you the questions you need to ask yourself. Find out what needs to stay and what needs to go as we wrap up 2017 and head into 2018. How will you best share your message and clear out anything that…Continue reading Episode 48 | What 4 Questions Do You Need to Ask Yourself This Time of Year?

It’s December, which means it’s the most wonderful time of the year and the most stressful as well! If you are feeling totally overwhelmed here’s the 7 things you should do today. Don’t let your mind run you down the wrong path, learn what to do to take back control and stay on target to…Continue reading Episode 47 | 7 Things To Do When You Feel Totally Overwhelmed

Tuesday, November 28th is #GivingTuesday and we’re gearing up for the biggest nonprofit holiday of the year. Listen in to find out what 3 things you must do to make the most out of #GivingTuesday. For more information about Mary Valloni Consulting, visit http://maryvalloni.com and join us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/groups/fundraisingfreedomtribe/

This is our seventh episode in our 7-part series on “What is Fundraising Freedom and How Can I Get It?” This seventh step is all about making a difference and celebrating your success. This is why we work so hard. Find out how to speak your team’s language so you can celebrate them, how to…Continue reading Episode 45 | Part 7:  Let’s Go Make A Difference

This is the sixth episode in our 7-part series on “What is Fundraising Freedom and How Can I Get It?” This sixth step is centered around how to organize your ask. We talk through how fundraising is like dating, how to avoid giving money and wealthy individuals more power than they deserve, and how to…Continue reading Episode 44 | Part 6:  How Do I Organize My Ask

This is the fifth episode in our 7-part series on “What is Fundraising Freedom and How Can I Get It?” This fifth step is centered around how to deploy your team. Learn how to create a strong staff/volunteer partnership, give the right titles to empower your team and trust your team while releasing them to…Continue reading Episode 43 | Part 5:  How do I Deploy My Team

This is the fourth episode in our 7-part series on “What is Fundraising Freedom and How Can I Get It?” This fourth step is centered around how to enhance your brand. Learn how to create a personal brand, an organizational brand, a high-quality logo, a one-page document, a case document, and a fundraising website. For…Continue reading Episode 42 | Part 4:  How do I Enhance My Brand

This is the third episode in our 7-part series on “What is Fundraising Freedom and How Can I Get It?” This third step is centered around how to enlist your team. Learn how to find and recruit your lead volunteer, that one person who can serve as a team captain for your leadership team. Mary…Continue reading Episode 41 | Part 3:  How Do I Enlist My Team

This is the second episode in our 7-part series on “What is Fundraising Freedom and How Can I Get It?” This second step is centered around how to run your research to understand your allies, competition, prospects and yourself. Identify how to best reach out and get the information you need to prepare for your…Continue reading Episode 40 | Part 2:  How Do I Run My Research

This is the first episode in our 7-part series on “What is Fundraising Freedom and How Can I Get It?” This first step is centered around how to focus your vision to attain maximum clarity so your donors know who you are and what you stand for. For more information about Mary Valloni Consulting, visit…Continue reading Episode 39 – Part 1:  How Do I Focus My Vision

Mary kicks off a 7-part series on the 7 Steps to Fundraising Freedom. This episode is an overview of what is to come with a breakdown of each step and what she’ll be unpacking over the next several weeks. For more info about Fundraising Freedom, check out maryvalloni.com

The 80/20 Rule, commonly called the Pareto principle, states how 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. This principle can be a great tool in our tool belt as we tackle our fundraising goals. Find out how you can use this rule to increase the odds that you’ll achieve your fundraising goal…Continue reading Episode 37 | How the 80/20 Rule Could Change Your Fundraising

Sometimes ideas resonate and sometimes they don’t. So, how do you know when you have a good idea you should implement? Mary shares the 5 ways to know and the next steps to ensure your team all moves in the same direction towards the same goal.

Most people show up to opportunities and experiences in their life with an empty cup. They show up looking for others to serve them. They make decisions based on what’s in it for them and not what’s in it for others. What would happen if you showed up with your cup full? Could you eliminate…Continue reading Episode 35 | How to Show Up, Filled Up to Every Ask

Find out what to do when a disaster strikes and you still have funds to raise. How do you and your organize move forward without taking a major loss? Join us Friday, September 8th at 10am CST for the September Fundraising Freedom Fellowship. Submit your questions to mary@maryvalloni.com and join us Sept. 8th. Call in…Continue reading Episode 34 | How to Fundraise in the Midst of a Disaster like Hurricane Harvey

1.Busy people are hard workers. Productive people are smart workers. 2.Busy people look like they have a mission. Productive people have a mission. 3.Busy people are fixated on taking action (just do something). Productive people focus on clarity before action. 4.Busy people try to do it all on their own. Productive people find the best…Continue reading Episode 33 | The 10 Differences Between Busy and Productive People

Are you willing to shut down the negativity and focus 100% on the positive? As a fundraiser, you are in full control of your mindset. What if you looked at every ask as an opportunity. On this episode, you’ll learn how to make that shift and start to enjoy the fundraising experience.

In this episode, Mary shows you how to reach out to your ideal donor, ask the right questions, and get the exact verbiage you need to attract future donors to your cause. Learn how to create your target donor profile and understand how you can use testimonials to increase donations from your current donors and…Continue reading Episode 31 | How One Donor Can Unlock the Door to Tens, Hundreds, and Thousands of New Donors

Mary dives into the DISC model to discuss how to use your personality type to your advantage and how to surround yourself with the right people to build out your fundraising team. Using the DISC model, you have the ability to develop insights (Sherlock Holmes Research) after only a few minutes of working with someone.…Continue reading Episode 30 | How Your Personality Type Plays An Important Role In Your Fundraising

What options do you have when your donors become hard to please? Learn how to avoid getting yourself into   the position and what to do once your there. This episode addresses the reality around giving and receiving gifts. To connect with Mary and the Fundraising Freedom Tribe, go to facebook.com/groups/fundraisingfreedomtribe/

How would it feel to know at a glance the status of your fundraising and whether you or your charity will be getting paid this month? This episode is a behind the scenes interview with the owner and founder of SupportGoal, a support raising tool created by former fundraiser and missionary, Karl Meisterheim. After raising…Continue reading Episode 28 | An Interview With Karl Meisterheim, Owner of SupportGoal

Whatever that BIG goal is in your life there are only three ways to go after it. Do you… Go it alone Hire a coach Recruit a team Mary shares her experience with coaches and how they have transformed her view on how to reach her big goals. Send Mary a birthday message by: •Private…Continue reading Episode 27 | 3 Ways To Achieve That Big Goal